This Is Wrong But It Feels So Right (Stormwind)

The warriors nodded solemnly mostly, having expected this part. What they wondered about is wether or not Meadowclan would be a dependable ally. Sure, they’d been on good terms, but would Mallowstar send her clan to fight on behalf of Blackstar? Those who didn’t know the nature of their relationship wouldn’t think so.

Honeysong grimaced slightly. “Unfortunately, as I’m sure many of you have guessed, we cannot go rescue Blackstar right now. First, we will need to recover and prepare, and I need to see about an alliance with MeadowClan.”

“What are we going to do?” Redfeather finally Asked, breaking the silence that hung over the camp. A rescue mission was out of the question at that moment, and that was assuming Blackstar was trapped in their camp. There was also the issue of defending their camp against any possible counterattack to consider.

Honeysong almost paused at the sudden attention from all of them but managed to keep walking. A leader had to always appear calm and confident even if they were not, or else their subordinates would panic. She went to the Great Rock but did not leap up onto it, turning to look at her warriors.

The warriors fortunate enough to not still be in the medicine cat’s care silenced when Honeysong appeared from the warrior’s den, many sets of eyes fixed expectantly on the deputy.

Robinsong looked quite pleased with herself, mewing out her assignments for the day’s patrols as more and more warriors emerged from their dens, the Forestclan camp slowly coming to life as it usually did.

Honeysong had hardly got any sleep all night, having only managed to fall asleep near the den. After quickly grooming her ruffled pelt, she left the warriors’ den.

Cloudleaf was up early, quietly eating a thrush.

When morning Came, the warriors of Lakeclan gathered expectantly in the camp clearing, murmuring amongst themselves as they waited for Honeysong.

In Forestclan’s Camp, Blackstar had, unsurprisingly, not been given much sleep by Robinsong. The She-cat hopped down out of the tree where the black-furred tom was being held in time for her usual morning routine, her cheery mannerism showing no hint of having stayed up all night torturing the other leader.

Swallowflight nodded silently but didn’t appear to be all that comforted, ears pressed flat against her head. She slipped into her nest and curled around her kits.

The warriors gradually dispersed, and eventually the other queen shepherded poor Swallowflight back into the nursery. “He’s tough,” The she-cat mewled. “And I’ve seen the way his eyes burn when he looks at you. He’ll come back.” She offered a slight smile as she tucked her own kits into her belly.

Swallowflight curled into the other queen's side, gratefully accepting the comfort.

Honeysong swallowed, pushed down her misgivings, and spoke. "For the moment, all of you need to rest. We will plan more tomorrow when we are not all exhausted." The deputy was one of the least-injured cats, with only a few scratches marring her golden tabby coat, but she was utterly exhausted after the short but intense battle.

Some of the less-injured or already treated warriors glanced back towards Honeysong, while another queen went to Swallowflight’s side to comfort her. The warriors looked expectantly at their deputy. She was now in charge, in charge of a bruised, outnumbered clan at war with one with more than twice the warriors. A clan missing its leader. It was time for the deputy to step up.

Swallowflight shifted uncomfortably at the scrutiny, her already-fluffy pelt ruffling.

“I saw him,” mewled Redfeather.  “I was one of the last ones out.  Blackstar was surrounded on all sides, but he kept fighting.” The eyes of many of the cats in the clearing all turned to focus on Swallowflight at once.

Swallowflight had to work hard to keep the whimper that wanted to escape to herself, her ears pinning back.

“Blackstar is...missing.”

The mewl came from Whitefang, a senior warrior who was being treated for a slash over his eye, staining his white fur red. The clearing erupted in shocked mews and angry yowls.

Swallowflight surveyed the returned patrol with a worried frown, unable to catch sight of her mate even though the rest of the patrol had all returned.

Of course, the patrol returned in tatters, not one of the small band having avoided injury. More glaringly, Blackstar wasn’t among the sullen warriors who padded back through the camp entrance. As the medics cat began to tend To injures, some of those that had stayed behind got up on their hindpaws, trying to peer over the barrier to catch sight of Blackstar. Surely their leader couldn’t be far behind?

Most of the cats left behind were up waiting anxiously for the patrol to come back.

Back inside Lakeclan territory, the scattered, battered patrol reunited. As they padded back towards their own camp, Honeysong was forced with the reality of Blackstar going missing. Not only that, she had to choose an unfortunate soul or two from the patrol to tell Swallowflight the news.

Cloudleaf didn’t follow them, eyeing the blood staining her white pelt with an expression of distaste.

Robinsong padded back out of the den to secure the materials she needed to tie the tom, then bounded back up to the branch where Blackstar was being held. She tied a leash around the Tom’s neck, giving it a spiteful tug to tighten it around the tom’s windpipe for a split second, and then guided the male down out of the tree and towards the one where she wanted to keep him, the leader flanked on all sides by angry Forestclan warriors.

Miststar huffed softly with amusement before tucking his muzzle underneath a paw, already sinking back down into the almost unconscious sleep of the ill.

“I plan on keeping him in that unused pine tree that we wove into the barrier,” Mewed the deputy, turning to leave with a flick of her tail. “Get well soon. Then maybe we can toy with him together.”

Miststar had to take a few moments to focus on Robinsong and then several more moments to register her words. He smirked a little. “Good.”

Robinsong padded up to the sickly leader with a slight frown. “Miststar, Lakeclan launched a cowardly attack on our camp as our warriors slept.” After a heartbeat, she let a smirk creep across her muzzle. “They were soundly defeated. In addition, we captured Blackstar.”